Combined curtain and shade holder.



W. H. McLESKEY.

COMBINED CURTAIN A'ND SHADE HOLDER. APPLICATION FILED JAN-13.195.

, 1 1 9 1,207. Patented July 18, 1916 z SHEETS-SHEET 1.

W. H. McLESKEY.

COMBINED CURTAIN AND SHADE HOLDER.

APPLICATION FILED IAN- I3. 1915- l 1 9 1 .207 Patented July 18, 1916.

I A 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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WILLIAM H. MCLESKEY, 0F 1\TASI-IVILLE, TENNESSEE.

COMBINED CURTAIN AND SHADE HOLDER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

' Patented July is, 1916.

Application filed January 13, 1915. Serial No. 2,008.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, VILLIAM H. MoLEs- KEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Nashville, in the county of Davidson and State of Tennessee, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Combined Curtain and Shade Holders, of which the following is a specification.

This invention contemplates an improved combined curtain and shade holder and has as its primary object to provide a devi'ceof this character wherein the curtain and shade will be simultaneously adjustable vertically of the window opening to which they are applied in order that ready access may be had to the .mounting of either the curtain or shade for the purpose of adjustment or removal, and wherein the curtain and shade will be mounted to simultaneously swing laterally away from the window in order that the window pane may be readily cleansed.

The invention has as a further object, in this connection, to provide automatic means for holding the curtain and shade at adjustment.

The invention has as a stillfurther object to provide a construction wherein the curtain and shade will be positively guided in their vertical adjustment so that during such operation, they will be prevented from swinging laterally away from the window, and wherein, when positioned for lateral adjustment away from the window, they will be positively supported, against vertical adjustment.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a device of this character wherein the movement of the curtain and shade vertically of the window opening, will be positively limited in each direction, so that by no possibility, can the supporting; structure become disconnected, to fall and injure the operator.

The invention has as a still further object to provide a resilient guide for the curtain and shade supporting member adapted to frictionally engage the said member for holding the curtain and shade in lateral adjusted position, and wherein said guide will also provide an attachingmember'for the element supporting the said first {named member. And a still further object of the invention is to provide a construction which may be readily and easily applied to any o dinary Windo Without. the necessity of structural change therein, wherein the parts may be readily disconnected for storage or shipping, and wherein the entire device will present a neat and attractive appearance, in

use.

Other and incidental objects will appear as the description proceeds and in the drawings, wherein I have illustrated the preferred embodiment of the invention and wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views,

Figure l is a perspective view showing my improved shade and curtain holder applied in normal operative position to a window, Fig. 2 is a front elevation showing the device with the curtain and curtain pole removed, this view' also illustrating in dotted lines, the manner in which the device may be adjusted vertically of the window opening, Fig. 3 is a top plan view showing the mounting of the head strip which operatively supports the curtain pole and window shade roller, Fig. 4 is a section taken on the line of Fig. 2 and particularly illustrating the disposition of the slot formed in the guide sleeve of the device, Fig. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view, particularly illustrating the catch member employed for holding the curtain and shade supporting member at vertical adjustment, and Fig. 6 is a top plan view particularly illustrating the disposition of the resilient finger formed from the guide sleeve and adapted to engage the shade and curtain supporting member.

For convenience, I have illustrated my improved device applied to a window casing of conventional form and indicated by the numeral 10 in the drawings. Secured to the inner face of the casing upon one side of the window opening and preferably, the right hand side, is a vertically arranged guide or sleeve 11, disposed adjacent the upper extremity of the casing and terminating at its lower extremity preferably in substantial alinement with the meeting rails of the upper and lower sashes of the window.

1 The guide 11 is in the nature of a tubular sleeve and may be formed of any suitable material such as a piece of suitable sheet metal, resilient sheet metal being preferably employed, and upon one side, is provided with a longitudinally extending slot 12 which opens through one end of the sleeve, the slot 12 facing laterally toward the opposite side of the ndow casing,

Embracing the sleeve 11 adjacent its lower end, is an attaching clip 13 which seats by its extremities against the adjacent face of the window casing and may be detachably connected thereto by screws, nails, 'or by any other suitable fastening devices. Adjacent its upper extremity, the sleeve 11 is slit circumferentially to define a terminal attaching clip and holding member indicated at i l. It will be noted that the sleeve 11 is slit in opposite directions upon each side of the slot 12 to provide oppositely disposed lugs, one of which, indicated by the numeral 15, is rebent intermediate its length to seat at its 'r free extremity, against the adjacent face of the casing to be detachably secured thereto in any suitable manner. The other lug, indicated by the numeral 16 is similarly rebent in an opposite direction to be detachably secured to the casing in any suitable manner upon the side of the sleeve opposite the lug 15. Attention is now called to the fact that the bight portion of the lug 16 provides an arcuate gripping finger which is bent inwardlv toward the axis of the sleeve 11 for a purpose which will presently appear.

Mounted for vertical sliding movement in the sleeve 11 is a supporting rod or member 17. The rod 17 is preferably circular in cross-section and, at one extremity, is bent to provide a laterally disposed substantially flat attaching member or terminal 18, the said member being connected with the body of the rod by a reduced substantially fiat neck 19 adapted to be slidablv received within the slot 12. In this connection, it will be noted that the rod 17 is of a length considerably greater than that of the sleeve 11.

Detachably secured in any suitable man ner to the member 18 is a head block or strip 20 which is preferably formed of wood and which may be ornamented in any desired manner. For instance, the strip 20 can be decorated in a manner similar to the decorations of the window to which the device is applied, and it is also intended that the sleeve 11 and the rod 17 shall be similarly decorated, so that the entire construction will present an attractive appearance.

Detachably secured in any suitable manner to the lower longitudinal edge of the head strip 20, are spaced shade supporting brackets 21, of conventional type which are adapted to detachably receive a shade carrying roller 22, also of conventional construction, the shade being adjustable vertically of the window opening upon the roller. Detachably mounted in the outer face of the head strip 20, are spaced curtain pole supporting hooks 23 adapted to removably re ceive a curtain carrying pole 2 1. The hooks 23 may be of any desired type and may be screwed into the head strip, if desired.

Arranged medially upon the side of the window casing opposite to that carrying the sleeve 11, is a curtain supporting hook 25 of any suitable character, the said hook being preferably provided in order that the curtain may be draped thereover in the usual manner, and further in view of the fact, as will presently appear, that the curtain is adjustable vertically of the window opening and the said hook will, therefore, proride a means whereby the curtain may be prevented from coming in contact with the floor.

Arranged to coact with the rod 17 is an au tomatic catch member indicated as a whole in Fig. 1 of the drawings by the numeral 26. This catch member is preferably formed from a single length of suitable resilient wire, which is bent adjacent one extremity to provide a loop or gripping member 27 adapted to loosely embrace the rod 17. From the loop 27, the adjacent extremity of the wire is extended to provide a shank which, at its free end, is bent to form a terminal eye 29. Freely connected with the eye 29 is a link 30, which is also-preferably formed from a piece of suitable resilient wire bent intermediate its ends to provide terminal eyes, one of which engages within the eye 29,-and the other of which is detachably connected to the eye of a suitable screw 31. arranged upon the window casing upon one side of and adjacent the lower end of the sleeve 11.

The loop 27 is preferably arranged to surround the rod 17 immediately below the lower end of the sleeve 11 and it will be noted that in the provision of the link 30, the body portion of the catch member is pivotally mounted at its inner extremity and will normally gravitate to a position where the plane of the loop 27 will be at an acute angle to the axis of the rod 17, to thus cause opposite sides of the loop or gripping member 27, to impinge against the side walls of the rod and frictionally engage the rod for supporting it vertically. By this arrangement, the catch member will not only as above stated, normally gravitate to engage the rod 17 for holding it stationary, but it will be noted that the weight of the said rod and the elements carried thereby, will tend to move the rod vertically against the gripping action of the member 27, to thus further bring the said member into more severe engagement with the rod.

Detachably secured to the rod 17 adjacent the lower extremity thereof is a laterally projecting knob or operating member 32, preferably so disposed that when the curtain and shade are supported in the position shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, the said knob will extend outwardly away from the adjacent face of the window casing at substantially right angles thereto. It will now be noted that the sleeve 11 may be readily detached from the window casing; that by removing the knob 32, the catch member 26 may be readily detached from the rod 17; that by then moving the rod upwardly through the sleeve 11, the said rod may be disconnected; that thehead strip 20 may be detached from the member 18; and that the curtain pole supporting hooks 25 as well as the brackets 21 may also be readily disconnected from the head strip 20. Thus, all of the elements of the device may be readily detached from each other for the purpose of shipment or storage, and may with equal facility be assembled. It is further to be observed that the knob 32 is arranged to limit the upward vertical move ment of the rod 17 within the sleeve 11 through the engagement thereof with the lower terminal of the said sleeve while the upper terminal of the sleeve when in engagement with the neck 19, is adapted to limit the downward vertical movement of the said rod, it being observed that the upper terminal of the sleeve provides an arcuate shoulder over which the neck 19 is adapted to ride.

Having thus described the construction of the invention, the operation thereof will now be set forth. As previously stated, the rod 17 is vertically adjustable within the sleeve 11, while the neck 19 is adapted to be slidably received within'the slot 12, attention being further called to the fact in this connection, that the rod 17 is also rotatable about a vertical axis within the said sleeve. Thus, by moving the gripping member 27 upwardly upon the rod 17 with one hand, the operator may, with the other hand, grasp the knob 32 to either lower or raise the rod 17 within the sleeve 11, it being understood, of course, that the neck 19 will slide within the slot 12 and consequently, simultaneously adjust the curtain and shade vertically of the window opening. By this arrangement, the upper sash of the window may be either partially or entirely exposed to permit the free ingress of either light or air through the window opening. Upon the release of the gripping member'27, the said member will narmally gravitate as above set forth to engage the rod 17 and will thus automatically hold the rod at adjustment. In this connection, it is further to be observed that when the rod is moved upwardly within the sleeve 11, such movement of the rod will automatically move the catch member 27 to a position to free the said rod, while when the rod is then subsequently released, the said catch member will automatically gravitate to hold the rod at adjustment.

In the normal position of the curtain and shade, as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, the neck 19 through its engagement with the walls of the slot 12 will prevent the turning movement of the rod 17 within the sleeve 11. However, by moving the rod upwardly to a positionwhere the neck 19 will rest upon the upper end of the sleeve, the rod may be operated through the medium of the knob 32 to simultaneously swing the curtain and shade laterally awayfrom the window opening, to thus leave the window entirely unobstructed. This is a very desirable feature of the present invention and permits the window pane to be readily cleaned. It will be noted that when the rod 17 is thus arranged within the sleeve 11, the neck 19 will slide over the arcuate shoulder provided by the upper terminal of the sleeve 11, which shoulder will thus support the rod vertically.

The purpose and function of the grip ping finger previously referred to will now appear. It will be noted that the said finger is arranged to yieldably engage the rod 17 and is adapted, when the said rod is rotated within the sleeve 11 to position the curtain and shade laterally away from the window opening, to hold the said rod at substantially any point of. adjustment. Thus, the curtain and shade may be either slightly spaced laterally away from the window opening, or may be swung to the limit of their outward movement therefrom and resiliently held in adjusted position. This is also a particular feature of advantage in the present invention, since by such ar-' rangement, light may be admitted into one portion of the room, while being screened from the other portion thereof, it being observed that the knob 32 by engagement with the adjacent face of the casing 10 is adapted to limit the outward swinging movement of the curtain and shade away from I the window opening.

to a window casing, a vertically adjustable supporting member mounted for turning movement in said guide, yieldable means carried by the guide at one extremity thereof and adapted to engage the member for holding it against turning movement, a head strip carried by said member and adapted to operatively support a window shade, and means normally gravitating to engage the said member for holding it at vertical .adjustment.

2. A device of the character described including a sleeve adapted for attachment to a window casing, a lug struck from the sleeve and providing a resilient finger, a vertically adjustable supporting member mounted for turning movement in the sleeve and adapted to be engaged by said finger for holding it against rotation, a head strip carried by the sleeve and adapted to operatively support a window shade, and means freely engaging the said member for bold ing it at vertical adjustment.

3. A device of the character described including a sleeve having a yieldable finger formed therefrom, and a vertically adjustable supporting member carried by the sleeve and shiftable to position for swinging' movement while supported upon one end of the sleeve in engagement with said finger, the finger being adapted to engage the supporting member for holding it at adjustment in its swinging movement.

4. A device of the character described including a sleeve having a finger formed therefrom providing at its extremities attaching lugs for the sleeve, and a vertically adjustable supporting member carried by the sleeve and shiftable into engagement with said finger for swinging movement upon one end of the sleeve, the finger being adapted to yieldably engage the supporting member for holding it at adjusted position in its swinging movement.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

E. H. ROY, ERNEST C. HARLAN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

- Washington, D. C. 

